Refrigerating apparatus



Aug. 8, 1950 4 E. F. scHwELLER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l L mu. w VEN 0 .M u. fo.

Fl .I

Aug- 8, 195o E. F. scHwf-:LLER 2,517,725

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. INVENTOR.

fla/vulva fsa/wu 1. f e. vBY

Patented Aug. 8, 1950 UNITED `STATES PATENT ori-'ica i REFRIGERATIN G APPARATUS Edmund F. Schweller, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application September Z5, 1948, Serial No. 51,267

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a new article of manufacture for use in refrigerators.

In refrigerator cabinets having a hydrator 1ocated within the refrigerated chamber thereof it has heretofore been the practice to bolt or secure a track or slide in a horizontal position Aalong each vertical side wall of the chamber for the reception of flanges about the open top of the hydrator receptacle so that the receptacle might be slidable outwardly of the chamber when the chamber access door is opened. A cover which restricted dow of air into and out of the hydrator receptacle was either stationarily secured to the track or secured to the receptacle to be movable therewith. Such structures required the use of a plurality of metal parts which had to `be specially coated to prevent rusting thereof, which were diiicult to slide relative to one another and diiilcult to clean because the guide or slide could not be readily removed from the refrigerated chamber.

It is an object of my invention to provide improved means for slidably mounting a hydrator receptacle within the refrigerated chamber of a refrigerator cabinet.

Another object of my invention is to provide an element adapted to be mounted within the food storage chamber of a refrigerator cabinet, which element constitutes a combined food supporting shelf, hydrator receptacle suspending means and a cover for the hydrator.

In carrying out the foregoing object it is still another object of my invention to form the combined 'element of molded plastic material and particularly a molded transparent plastic material whereby a person may view the contents of a hydrator receptacle suspended from the element through the cover thereof, and whereby the metallic hydrator receptacle may be more readily moved along its support within a refrigerated chamber.

Further advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. wherein a. preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

' Fig. l is a front view of a household refrigerator cabinet having a food storage chamber with the access door thereto in open position and showing my combined element supporting a hydrator within the chamber;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, showing a top view of the combined element;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional Y view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, showing the front portion of a hydrator receptacle supported from my combined element; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on theline 6-6 of Fig. 4, showing flanges on a hydrator receptacle resting upon a guide or track portion of my combined element.

Referring to the drawings, for illustrating the construction and combined use or utility of my improved element of manufacture, I have shown in Fig. l thereof a reirigerating apparatus comprising a household refrigerator cabinet generally represented by the reference character I0. Cabinet Ill is of the ordinary or conventional construction and includes outer metal walls II and an inner metal liner spaced therefrom and forming a food storage chamber I3 within the cabinet. Any suitable or desirable insulating material It may be located in the space between the metal walls I i and I2 (see Fig. Z). The storage chamber i3 is provided with an access opening l which is normally closed by a door I5. The outer cabinet walls Ii extend downwardly beyond the bottom wail of chamber I3 and form a machine compartment in the lowermost portion of cabinet I Il, which compartment is normally closed by a door IE.

A closed refrigerating system associated with cabinet Iii includes an evaporator I 'l mounted in the upper portion of food chamber I3 and` having suitable pipe or conduit connections with a refrigerant translatingdevice or motor-compressor and condensing unit (not shown) located in the machine compartment. The evaporator cools and causes circulation of air throughout the interior of the food chamber lil. Chamber i3 is provided with several reticulated food supporting shelves I9 through which the circulated cool air may flow. Ordinarily the evaporator ll, in creating a circulation of air within the charnber I3, tends to withdraw moisture from the air and consequently from food products stored in the chamber, which moisture collects upon the walls of the evaporator in the form of frost. In order that certain food products may maintain asiatici their moisture content while being refrigerated, covered and slightly ventilated receptacles, such as hydrators, have been positioned in the food chamber for the reception of vegetables, fruits, etc., of which the moisture content must be retained. My invention particularly relates to the hydrator portion of the refrigerator and specifically to an element which forms a combined food supporting shelf, hydrator support and hydrator cover within the refrigerator.

Since lt has now become generally known that a metal receptacle or a metallic receptacle having a vitreous enamel coating thereover will slide more readily upon or over certain molded plastic tracks or surfaces than upon or over metal track surfaces, my improved and combined food supporting shelf, hydrator support and hydrator cover is in the form of a molded one-piece element. This element is formed of a plastic material and preferably a plastic material that is optically very clear, so that the element will, after being molded into the desired shape, be transparent. Such a material may be a molding powder consisting of synthetic acrylate resin having a high index of refraction. This powdered material may be placed in cavities of a mold to which pressure and heat are applied and which is commonly referred to as compression molding. In molding this material by the compression molding process or method, the material is heated to around 300 F. to 350 F. and a pressure of between 2000 lbs. and 4000 lbs. per square inch is applied internally of the mold to the material; The pressure and heat causes melting and iiowing of the powder so that the molten material will ll various cavities in the mold. The powder may also be heated exteriorly of a mold to around 400 F. to 450 F. and then forced into cavities of a mold under pressure of between 1500 lbs. to 3000 lbs. per square inch, and this type of molding is commonly referred to as injection molding. In either event the molten material filling the mold cavities is permitted to cool and solidify in the mold and is then removed therefrom in the form of an integral transparent article of a desired shape in accordance with the construction and design of the mold. While I have chosen a synthetic acrylate resin because of its optically very clear properties other molding powders, such as styrene, polyvinyl-acetate or polyvinyl-chloride may be used, if desired.

The present combined molded element comprises a relatively flat rectangular unreticulated horizontal shelf -like device generally represented by the reference 4character 20. The element or device includes a flat closed portion 2| which has an integral down-turned flange 22 about the periphery thereof. The flange 22 along the front of element 20 is shorter than the flange 22 along the sides and back of the element for a purpose to be hereafter described. A boss 23 extends outwardly from each side of the element 20 adjacent the front thereof and beyond the side iiange 22 and is provided with a vertically extending cavity portion 24 and a slot 26 in the one wall adjacent the cavity 24. The flange 22 along the back of element 20 is provided with a pair of holes 28 (see Fig. 3). The slot 26 and cavity 24 in each boss 23 receive a head-like portion formed on a stud 3I secured to the vertical side wall of cabinet liner I2 as by a bolt 32 (see Figs. 4, 5, and 6). Each hole 28, in the back flange 22 of element`20, receives a reduced portion 33 on a .stud 34 secured to the vertical back wall of cabinet liner I2 as by a bolt 34. ln placing element 20 into the food chamber I3 of cabinet I0 the element is first moved toward the rear of the chamber to cause the holes 23 along its back flange 22 to pass over the ends 33 of studs 34. Thereafter the front portion of elementn 2l is lowered so that the head-like portion on studs 3| will enter the cavities 24 and slots 26. In removably positioning the element 20, as described, it is apparent that lt is secured against forward movement within food chamber I 3. The fiat portion 2| of element 20 provides a food supporting shelf within the storage chamber and also provides a cover or closure means for a receptacle to be supported from the element as will be presently described.

The down-turned flanges 22 at the short sides of element 20 each have an integral inwardly directed lip or ledge portion 4| formed thereon. The spaced apart lip or ledge portions 4I form a guide or track for slidably receiving flanges 42 bent outwardly from the open top portion of a receptacle 44. This receptacle is constructed of metal and has a coating of vitreous enamel baked thereon. Receptacle 44 is provided with a handle 45 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 5) for gripping the receptacle and sliding the same along the ledges or tracks 4| into and outwardly of the cabinet access opening so as to provide access to the interior of the receptacle. It will be noted (see Figs. 3 and 5) that the front edge of the part of the lips 4| are directed downwardly from the main guide or track-forming portion thereof as at 46 to facilitate entry of the flanges 42 on receptacle 44 into the guide or upon the track portions 4|. It will also be noted (see Figs. 3 and 5) that the downwardly directed flange portion 22' along the front side of the element is spaced a predetermined distance from the top surface of the fiange 42 on receptacle 44 to provide an opening of a. desired size for exposing the contents. of the receptacle to the circulated air within chamber I3. This space or opening serves to limit or control the breathing or exposure of the interior of the receptacle to the cold relatively dry air in chamber I3 so that vegetables, fruits, etc., stored in the receptacle will not become dried out. Inv

limiting the exposure of the vegetables and fruit content of receptacle 44 these food products retain their moisture content and remain fresh and crisp. Thus the receptacle 44 together with the closed flat portion 2| of element 20 form or provide a hydrator within the chamber I3.

In order to strengthen the element 20 so that it will not sag or bow intermediate its sides under the weight of food products supported on the top thereof I provide a plurality of webs 48 depending from its fiat portion 2|. Webs 48 are formed integral with the flat portion 2| and with the side flanges 22 of element 20, and extend continuously in spaced apart relation from one short side to the other short side of the combined element to increase its structural strength. In order to render food products supported upon the top of the combined element more easily slidable therealong and in order t0 cool such products on all sides I provide a plurality of spaced apart 5 in moving products toward or outwardly of the :food chamber access opening.

.From the foregoing it should be apparent that I have provided a new article of manufacture which, in addition to forming a combined food supporting shelf, hydrator suspending means and hydrator cover also has other advantages. For

example, a metal or a vitreous enamel covered metal receptacle is rendered more easily slidable along its supporting track or guide, and the comhined element being formed of molded plastic material which is optically clear, provides for the viewing of contents of the hydrator without moving same relative to its cover. The combined element may be readily and quickly removed from the food chamber to permit cleaning of the different portions thereof and cleaning of the chamber walls spaced from and bounding the element and hydrator receptacle suspended therefrom.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claim which follows.

What is claimed is as follows:

A one-piece molded element adapted to be mounted in the storage compartment of a refrigerator cabinet including a closed rectangular portion extending continuously between the peripheral edges of the element and forming a food supporting shelf in the storage compartment, said element having an integral depending flange extending along each of two opposed edges thereof and provided with an integral ledge directed inwardly to form a guide for receiving and slidably supporting an open-top receptacle in close proximity to said closed portion whereby said portion covers said receptacle and together therewith forms a hydrator Within said compartment, and said element also having an integral depending flange extending along the front edge of the shelf.

EDMUND F. SCHWELLER..

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,504,523 Sherer Aug. 12, 1924- 1,889,218 Reedy Nov. 29, 1932 2,072,446 Forsthoefel Mar. 2, 1937 2,169,295 Shuart Aug. 15, 1939 2,194,176 Yoxsimer Mar. 19, 1940 2,241,053 Brightman May 6, 1941 2,421,089 Smith May 27, 1947 

